Card reader

ABSTRACT

A card reader to read information in an integrated circuit (IC) card includes a housing, a first antenna, a control circuit, and a switch unit. The first antenna is disposed inside of the housing to communicate with the IC card. The control circuit communicates with the IC card within a communication range of the first antenna and performs at least a process that acquires data from a memory in the IC card. The switch unit includes a radio frequency (RF) tag having a second antenna and functions as a switch that performs a predetermined function by causing the RF tag to communicate with the control circuit via the second antenna and the first antenna when a predetermined condition is satisfied. The second antenna of the switch unit is in a side lobe of the first antenna.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No.2014-162691 filed on Aug. 8, 2014, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a card reader that reads theinformation in an integrated circuit (IC) card.

BACKGROUND ART

Patent Literature 1: JP 2003-006578 A

Access control systems are conventionally known to use contactless ICcards for access controls of entering and exiting facilitates, such asoffices, warehouses, hospitals (for example, see Patent Literature 1).Such access control systems require each user to only bring his/hercontactless IC card in proximity of the card reader installed adjacentto a door of a room to activate wireless communication to immediatelyidentify the user, thereby unlocking the electric lock to permit theuser to enter the room.

Some access control systems are further known to install a press-buttonswitch unit on the front face of the card reader. The switch unit isintended to add a function to the card reader, such as a switch fordesignating a security control associated with security instruments.Each user presses the press-button switch unit and brings thecontactless IC card close to the card reader, activating the securitycontrol.

Such conventional card readers in some cases respond to the needs ofeach customer for the usability, such as changing positions ofpress-button switch units, adding new press-button switch units, therebyinvolving custom-made design changes. The design changes typicallyinclude changes of housing or internal wiring for installing switchunits, unfortunately leading to difficulties in re-designing theintensity, waterproofness, and reading performance including readingdistance and communication success ratio, against the housing of thereader.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a card reader tosolve such difficulties.

An example of the present disclosure provides a card reader to readinformation in an integrated circuit (IC) card as follows. The cardreader includes a housing, a first antenna, a control circuit, and aswitch unit. The first antenna is disposed inside of the housing tocommunicate with the IC card. The control circuit communicates with theIC card within a communication range of the first antenna and performsat least a process that acquires data from a memory in the IC card. Theswitch unit includes a radio frequency (RF) tag having a second antenna.The switch unit functions as a switch that performs a predeterminedfunction by causing the RF tag to communicate with the control circuitvia the second antenna and the first antenna when a predeterminedcondition is satisfied. Herein, of the switch unit, the second antennaat least is arranged within a side lobe of the first antenna.

The card reader of this example communicates with the IC card using themain lobe of the first antenna. The second antenna of the RF tag in theswitch unit is attached within a side lobe that is different from themain lobe; attaching the switch unit having the second antenna does notdegrade the reading performance for the IC card by the first antenna.The card reader of this example permits the wireless communicationbetween the control circuit and the switch unit using the RF tag withoutdegrading the reading performance for the IC card. Attaching the switchunit to the housing thus eliminates the needs of changes in the internalwiring or changes in the housing structure, such as boring a hole in thehousing for wiring. This facilitates the design changes such as changeof the attachment position of the switch unit and adding a new switchunit. In addition, the card reader of this example arranges the secondantenna within a side lobe of the first antenna; this permits the secondantenna to be present outside of the reading area for the IC card formedwithin the main lobe over the surface of the housing. Conventional cardreaders, which connect their press-button switch units to controlcircuits with wiring, typically arrange the press-button switchesoutside of the reading area; thus, the card reader of this example onlyneeds to replace a conventional press-button switch unit with the switchunit of the this example. This can eliminate needs of re-arrangingexisting electronic components and circuit boards when preparing thecard reader of this example, facilitating the design changes. Further,the card reader of this example helps prevent the degradation of thereading performance for the IC card using the first antenna, allowing auser to hold up the IC card with unchanged usability, or allowing thedesign change not to affect the usability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentdisclosure will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription made with reference to the accompanying drawings. In thedrawings:

FIG. 1A is a front view of a card reader according to a first embodimentof the present disclosure;

FIG. 1B is a partial cross-sectional side view of the card reader;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the card reader with an ID card held incontact with a main body of the card reader;

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an internal configuration of apress-button switch unit;

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a principle of the communicationbetween an RF tag and an IC chip with an antenna coil turned on;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart diagram illustrating a tag information readingprocess executed by an IC chip in the main body of the card reader;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a card reader of acomparative example;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a card reader accordingto a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a card reader accordingto a third embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a card reader accordingto a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an internal configuration of atemperature switch unit in a card reader according to a fifth embodimentof the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following will explain embodiments of the present disclosure.

A. First Embodiment A-1. Configuration

A card reader 10 according to a first embodiment of the presentdisclosure is illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIG. 1A illustrates afront view; FIG. 1B illustrates a partial cross-sectional side view. Thecard reader 10 is an apparatus for reading information in anidentification (ID) card that is unshown. The present embodimentprovides the card reader 10 that is included in an access control systemmanaging access controls for entering and exiting offices, for instance.The ID card is a contactless integrated circuit (IC) card, which may bealso referred to a non-contact IC card, for personal identification orpersonal authentication; the ID card is required to be held by officeemployees in offices, for instance.

As in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the card reader 10 includes a main body 20, acover 40, and a press-button switch unit 50.

The main body 20 is shaped of a box having a front plate part 20 a, aside plate part 20 b, and a back plate part 20 c. The main body 20 isattached adjacent to a door for entering and exiting an office with theback plate part 20 c contacting a wall of the office. The main body 20contains internally (i) a circuit board 24 mounting with an integratedcircuit (IC) chip 22 and (ii) a loop antenna 26 (or antenna coil)connected to the circuit board 24. The IC chip 22 includes a memory thatstores data, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and an RF (RadioFrequency) unit (also referred to as a wireless unit), which modulatesand demodulates data, for instance. The loop antenna 26 is connected tothe RF unit of the IC chip 22 via the circuit board 24. The loop antenna26 and the front plate part 20 a are arranged as facing each other. This“facing each other” signifies an arrangement permitting (i) the loopplane of the loop antenna 26 and (ii) the front plate part 20 a to faceeach other in parallel or in substantially parallel. Such an arrangementmay be alternatively defined as facing each other by forming an anglebetween the loop plane and the front plate part 20 a to be within arange from 135 to 225 degrees.

The cover 40 is attached to the main body 20 so as to cover, of the mainbody 20, the front plate part 20 a and part of the side plate part 20 b.The cover 40 has a front face 40 a where a reading area RA (see FIG. 1B)for the ID card 70 is formed. This reading area RA is an areacorresponding to a communication range of the loop antenna 26; thereading area RA in the present embodiment is located in a region moveddownward against the vertical middle of the front plate part 20 a. Theloop antenna 26 has a radiating pattern that includes a main lobe ML andside lobes SL; the reading area RA contains the main lobe ML and part ofthe side lobe SL. Note that the reading area RA is illustrated only justfor explanation; the reading area RA may not be square in practice andmay not specify a border between a readable area and a non-readable areacertainly. Further, the present embodiment indicates the abovearrangement permitting the loop plane of the loop antenna 26 and thefront plate part 20 a to face each other in parallel or in substantiallyparallel. However, there is no need to be limited to such arrangement,and another arrangement may be employed as follows. For instance, theloop antenna 26 may be disposed in proximity of the front plate part 20a so as to permit a reading area RA for ID cards to appear at minimum inthe front face 40 a of the cover 40 facing the front plate part 20 a.

A-2. Configuration of ID Card

FIG. 2 is a front view of the card reader 10 with the ID card 70 held incontact with the main body 20 of the card reader 10. The ID card 70 heldby a user when entering or exiting a room is caused to be in contactwith or close to the reading area RA of the card reader 10. Thecontactless IC card serving as the ID card 70 contains internally an ICchip 72 and an antenna coil 74 connected to the IC chip 72. The cardreader 10 communicates with the ID card 70 having entered thecommunication range of the loop antenna 26 (see FIG. 1B) via the loopantenna 26 and the antenna coil 74, reading the data from a memory inthe IC chip 72 of the ID card 70. The present embodiment, which providesthe above reading of the data from the ID card 70, may alternativelyprovide writing of data into a memory in the IC chip 72 of the ID card70.

The read data corresponds to an authentication data that authenticatesan individual in the present embodiment. The access control systemcauses the card reader 10 to determine whether the authentication dataread from the ID card 70 corresponds to or accords with the data forauthentication comparison that is registered previously. When according,the door for entering and exiting the office or room is unlocked.

A-3. Configuration of Press-Button Switch Unit

Returning to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the card reader 10 includes thepress-button switch unit 50 as mentioned above. The press-button switchunit 50 is attached, with double-stick tapes, to the front face 40 a ofthe cover 40 within the side lobe SL of the loop antenna 26. In thepresent embodiment, the switch unit 50 is attached to a region withinthe side lobe SL on an upper side from the reading area RA. Instead ofusing double-stick tapes, the switch unit 50 may be attached with othermeans, such as adhesives or fastening bolts. The press-button switchunit 50 is to designate “security” (i.e., security control) associatedwith security instruments in the present embodiment.

The present embodiment may define a casing portion as including thefront plate part 20 a, the side plate part 20 b, and the back plate part20 c of the main body 20; the casing portion together with the cover 40may be referred to as a housing. That is, any member added or attachedto the casing portion of the main body 20 may be defined as beingincluded in the housing. The present embodiment, which provides theabove configuration including the cover 40, may alternatively provideanother configuration eliminating the cover 40; namely, the press-buttonswitch unit 50 may be attached directly to the front plate part 20 a ofthe main body 20.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an internal configuration of thepress-button switch unit 50, which contains internally an IC chip 52, anantenna coil 54, and a switch body 56.

The antenna coil 54 is shaped of a planar loop with winding in a coilform in plane, and is connected with the IC chip 52. The antenna coil 54is also replaceable with any other antennas shaped of various forms,such as rod, patch, slot, swirl, pattern.

The IC chip 52 includes a CPU 52 a, a memory 52 b, an RF (RadioFrequency) unit 52 c, and a power rectification unit 52 d. The RF unit52 c, which may be also referred to as a wireless unit, includes areception portion that demodulates, and a transmission portion thatmodulates. The power rectification unit 52 d rectifies the electricpower generated with the electromagnetic induction. The CPU 52 aperforms processes including a process controlling demodulating andmodulation and a process reading tag information from the memory 52 b.The memory 52 b stores previously the tag information, which includes anidentification data identifying an individual, a tag-type dataindicating a press-button switch. The IC chip 52 and the antenna coil 54constitute an RF (Radio Frequency) tag 51.

The switch body 56, which is incorporated in the middle of the antennacoil 54, responds to a press manipulation by the user to a manipulationportion 58 that is shaped of a button (see FIG. 1A) included in thepress-button switch unit 50, turning the antenna coil 54 into ON state(with the circuit closed) and turning it into OFF state (with thecircuit opened). The switch body 56, which uses a membrane switch in thepresent embodiment, may alternatively use a reed switch, a microswitch,a piezo-electric switch, or a conductive rubber switch other than themembrane switch. In the push-button switch unit 50, the antenna coil 54is maintained in OFF state in the initial state and is moved into ONstate in response to a press manipulation. Alternatively, the antennacoil 54 may be maintained in ON state in the initial state and is movedinto OFF state in response to a press manipulation. The switch body 56,which is incorporated in the middle of the antenna coil 54, may bealternatively incorporated into the IC chip 52 to turn on and offtransmissions and receptions of the antenna coil 54.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a principle of the communicationbetween the RF tag 51 and the IC chip 22 with the antenna coil 54 turnedon. Note that the present embodiment provides the RF tag 51 being apassive tag that operates on energy source that derives from signalstransmitted from the card reader 10. At S1, the IC chip 22 in the mainbody 20 transmits signals on magnetic field via the loop antenna 26. AtS2, the RF tag 51 of the press-button switch unit 50 subsequentlyreceives the magnetic field from the loop antenna 26 via the antennacoil 54. At S3, the antenna coil 54 of the RF tag 51 comes to be inresonance state at the operating frequency (also referred to as a clockfrequency) of the loop antenna 26, generating electric power in theantenna coil 54 itself. At S4, the IC chip 52 of the RF tag 51 thenoperates or activates the CPU 52 a and the memory 52 b of the IC chip 52(see FIG. 3) using the generated electric power to execute necessaryprocesses.

At S5, the IC chip 52 puts the data held by the RF tag 51 on themagnetic field to return the data from the antenna coil 54. At S6, theloop antenna 26 in the main body 20 receives the magnetic field from theRF tag 51. At S7, the IC chip 22 in the main body 20 takes out the datafrom the magnetic field. As explained above, as the antenna coil 54 isturned into ON state, the communication takes place between (i) the RFtag 51 in the press-button switch unit 50 and (ii) the IC chip 22 in themain body 20, permitting data transmissions and data receptions betweenthe RF tag 51 and the IC chip 22 in the main body 20. As mentionedabove, the press-button switch unit 50 is provided within a side lobe SLof the loop antenna 26; the side lobe SL is used for data transmissionsand data receptions. Note that the present embodiment uses theelectromagnetic induction for communicating data or information, but mayalternatively use the radio wave or electric waves.

In the present embodiment, the loop antenna 26 may be also referred toas a first antenna; the IC chip 22 may be also referred to as a controlcircuit; the press-button switch unit 50 may be also referred to as aswitch unit; and the antenna coil 54 included in the press-button switchunit 50 may be referred to as a second antenna.

A-4. Tag Information Reading Process

FIG. 5 is a flowchart diagram illustrating a tag information readingprocess executed by the IC chip 22 in the main body 20 of the cardreader 10. This tag information reading process is repeatedly executedby a CPU included in the IC chip 22 with predetermined time intervals.As starting the process, the CPU transmits a tag capturing signal viathe loop antenna 26 in the main body 20 at S110 (S may indicate asection or step). The tag capturing signal is a signal for capturing orrecognizing any RF tag entering the communication range of the loopantenna 26, and continues to be transmitted regardless of whether any RFtag is present within a communication range. This RF tag signifies eachof general RF tags that include at least (i) the RF tag 51 included inthe press-button switch unit 50 and (ii) the contactless IC card servingas the ID card 70 as well. At S110, tag capturing signals aretransmitted to determine whether the ID card 70 or the RF tag 51 of thepress-button switch unit 50 is present within the communication range ofthe loop antenna 26. The above communication range contains acommunication range due to the main lobe ML of the loop antenna 26 and acommunication range due to the side lobe S of the loop antenna 26.

When a press manipulation is applied to the manipulation portion 58 (seeFIGS. 1A and 1B) of the press-button switch unit 50, the antenna coil 54of the press-button switch unit 50 is turned into an ON state. Thisenables to detect that the RF tag 51 of the press-button switch unit 50is present within the communication range of the loop antenna 26 (seeFIG. 1B). The communication between the RF tag 51 and the IC chip 22 ofthe main body 20 using the side lobe SL of the loop antenna 26 thustakes place according to the above-mentioned principle in FIG. 4,permitting the RF tag 51 to return acknowledge signal indicating areception of the RF capturing signal to the IC chip 22 of the main body20 via the antenna coil 54 and the loop antenna 26. In contrast, whenany press manipulation is not applied to the manipulation portion 58 ofthe press-button switch unit 50, the antenna coil 54 remains in anon-conductive state to fail to receive the radio waves transmitted fromthe loop antenna 26. The RF tag 51 thus returns none of acknowledgesignals to the IC chip 22.

In addition, when the ID card 70 is in contact with or in proximity tothe reading area RA and thus is present within the communication rangeof the loop antenna 26, the communication between the ID card 70 and theIC chip 22 in the main body 20 takes place, according to the sameprinciple as in FIG. 4. This communication permits the IC chip 72 of theID card 70 to return an acknowledge signal to the IC chip 22 of the mainbody 20 via the antenna coil 74 and the loop antenna 26.

Returning to FIG. 5, at S120, the CPU of the IC chip 22 determineswhether to receive an acknowledge signal (i.e., ACK signal) from the RFtag 51 of the press-button switch unit 50 or the ID card 70. Whendetermining not receiving any acknowledge signal, the processingproceeds directly to “RETURN,” terminating once the tag informationreading process.

In contrast, when determining receiving an acknowledge signal at S120,the CPU transmits, at S130, an information read signal to an RF tag,i.e., whichever of the RF tag 51 of the press-button switch unit 50 orthe ID card 70 has transmitted the acknowledge signal. Suppose thatplural acknowledge signals are determined to be received from pluraltags, i.e., from both the ID card 70 and the RF tag 51 of thepress-button switch unit 50. In such cases, the RF tag whose acknowledgesignal is received earlier than the other is regarded as “the RF tagwhose acknowledge signal is received.” Alternatively, “the RF tag whoseacknowledge signal is received” may be predetermined to be one of them;for instance, the RF tag 51 of the press-button switch unit 50 may beregarded as “the RF tag whose acknowledge signal is received” ifacknowledge signals are received from both the RF tag 51 and the ID card70.

At S140, the CPU performs the process that receives the data serving asthe tag information from the RF tag whose acknowledge signal isreceived. In specific, when the RF tag whose acknowledge signal isreceived corresponds to the RF tag 51 of the press-button switch unit50, the CPU of the IC chip 22 receives the identification data and thetag-type data as the tag identification information from the memory 52 bof the IC chip 52. In contrast, when the RF tag whose acknowledge signalis received corresponds to the ID card 70, the CPU receives theidentification data and the tag-type data from the memory of the IC chip72.

At S150, the CPU determines whether the tag-type data received at S140corresponds to the press-button switch unit 50 or the ID card. Whendetermining that the tag-type data corresponds to the press-buttonswitch unit 50, the CPU sets the value of one “1” to the button SW-ONflag that is prepared previously, at S160. The button switch-ON flag,which indicates that the press-button switch unit 50 is turned on, isstored in the memory 52 b of the IC chip 52. Note that, at S160, the CPUmay further make a determination as to whether the identification datareceived at S140 accords with a registration data that is registeredpreviously and then sets the value of one “1” to the button SW-ON flagif the determination is affirmed. This can prevent an inappropriateaction or injustice, which would replace the press-button switch unit 50with another button switch.

In contrast, when the tag-type data is determined to correspond to theID card 70 at S150, the CPU executes a subsequent process which readsthe authentication data stored in the ID card 70 at S170. After S160 orS170, the CPU proceeds to “RETURN,” terminating once the tag informationreading process.

The authentication data read at S170 will be used in a personalidentification process executed by another routine. The personalidentification process performs an authentication of an individual bycomparing the authentication data with the data registered previously,and performs post-authentication process such as unlocking the door whenthe authentication is satisfied.

In contrast, when the button SW-ON flag is set to the value of one “1”at S160, another routine will perform a process of the transition intosecurity-activated state using the security instruments. Note that thecondition where the button SW-ON flag indicates the value of one “1” mayallow the direct transition into the security-activated state. Thepresent embodiment, however, allows the transition into thesecurity-activated state when the authentication of the ID card 70 issatisfied within a predetermined period of time since the button SW-ONflag is set to the value of one “1.” In contrast, the transition intothe security-activated state is disallowed when the authentication ofthe ID card 70 fails to be satisfied within the predetermined period oftime since the button SW-ON flag is set to the value of one “1”.

A-5. Advantageous Effects

The first embodiment provides the card reader 10 as follows. Thepress-button switch unit 50 is attached to the cover 40 of the main body20 of the card reader 10. This attachment of the press-button switchunit 50 enables the RF tag 51 of the press-button switch unit 50 tocommunicate with the IC chip 22 of the main body 20, achieving thefunction as a switch which permits the transition intosecurity-activated state. The above features of the card reader 10facilitate the design changes that changes the attachment position ofthe press-button switch unit 50.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a card reader 1010 as acomparative example. The card reader 1010 of the comparative exampleincludes a press-button switch unit 1050. This switch unit 1050 is onlya press button connected to a circuit board 1024 via a cable 1052,instead of including an RF tag like in the first embodiment of thepresent disclosure. According to the comparative example, changing theattachment position of the press-button switch unit 1050 to a differentposition involves changes of positions, such as the position of a hole1060 for the unit 1050, a position of a cable 1052, the position of apart 1062 connecting the cable 1052 to a circuit board 1024. Thecomparative example thus fails to facilitate the design changes for theattachment position of the press-button switch unit 1050. By contrast,the card reader 10 of the first embodiment eliminates need of connectingthe press-button switch unit 50 to the IC chip 22 of the main body 20with a cable, requiring none of the above changes of the positions inthe comparative example and thus facilitating the design changes tochange the attachment position of the press-button switch unit 150.

In addition, the card reader 10 of the present embodiment provides thepress-button switch unit 50 to be within a side lobe SL of the loopantenna 26 of the main body 20 in front of the cover 40, allowing thecommunication with sufficient sensitivity even though the switch unit 50is arranged at a position deviated from the middle of the front face ofthe cover 40. Furthermore, the press-button switch unit 50 arranged tobe within the side lobe SL of the loop antenna 26 does not affect thecommunication due to the main lobe ML or the reading for the ID card 70.This can provide reliability to both the communication with the ID card70 and the communication with the press-button switch unit 50.

Further, the card reader 10 of the present embodiment, which providesthe press-button switch unit 50 to be within the side lobe SL of theloop antenna 26, allows the press-button switch unit 50 to be attachedto an attachment position almost identical to that of the press-buttonswitch unit 1050 in the comparative example in FIG. 6. The card reader10 of the present embodiment thus only needs to replace a conventionalpress-button switch unit 1050 with the press-button switch unit 50. Thiscan eliminate needs of re-arranging existing electronic components andcircuit boards for preparing the card reader 10 of the presentembodiment, facilitating the design changes. In addition, the side lobeSL on and over the front plate part 20 a is at a peripheral area outsideof the main lobe ML, improving the flexibility of the installationposition of the press-button switch unit 50 and facilitating the designchange significantly.

Further, the card reader 1010 of the comparative example in FIG. 6 needinclude a rubber packing 1070 between the press-button switch unit 1050and the cover 1040 for preventing water entry from the hole 1060. Bycontrast, the card reader 10 of the present embodiment eliminates theneed of boring holes in the cover 40 or the main body 20 in attachingthe press-button switch unit 50, thus providing an advantageous effectin that the waterproof measure is easier. Further, the card reader 1010of the comparative example fails to easily detach the cover 1040 sincethe press-button switch unit 1050 and the circuit board 1024 areconnected with the cable 1052. By contrast, the card reader 10 of thepresent embodiment provides an advantageous effect in that the cover 40is easily detached. Further, the card reader 10 of the presentembodiment can change the attachment position of the press-button switchunit 50 by replacing a whole cover 40 where a press-button switch unit50 is attached at a position by another whole cover 40 where anotherpress-button switch unit 50 is attached at another position.

Furthermore, the card reader 10 of the present embodiment can performeasily the design change to additionally attach a new press-buttonswitch unit, for instance, increasing the number of press-buttonswitches from one to two or more. In addition, when a press manipulationis not applied to the press-button switch unit 50, the antenna coil 54of the switch unit 50 is maintained at OFF state and thus in thedissonance state at the operating frequency of the loop antenna 26. Theantenna coil 54 is thus regarded as being non-existent by the radiowaves, providing none of interference against the reading of the ID card70. The reliability of the communication to the ID card 70 is thusmaintained.

B. Second Embodiment

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a card reader 210according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The cardreader 210 of the second embodiment is different from the card reader 10of the first embodiment in the attachment position of the press-buttonswitch unit 250. Other components of the card reader 210 of the secondembodiment, which are identical to those of the card reader 10 in thefirst embodiment, are assigned with the same reference numerals as thosein FIG. 1B without further explanation.

As in FIG. 7, the press-button switch unit 250 is attached within a sidelobe SL of the loop antenna 26 on a side face 40 b that is located on anupper side of the cover 40. The configuration and the attachment methodof the press-button switch unit 250 are the same as those of the firstembodiment.

The card reader 210 of the second embodiment facilitates the designchanges including the change of the attachment position of thepress-button switch unit 250 and adding newly the press-button switchunit, like the card reader 10 of the first embodiment, further providingbetter waterproof measure like the first embodiment. Further, the cardreader 210 of the second embodiment provides the press-button switchunit 250 to be arranged on the side face 40 b of the cover 40,increasing the flexibility in the attachment position of the switch unit250. In addition, the press-button switch unit 250 is not arranged onthe front face 40 a of the cover 40; this reduces the size in thevertical direction of the card reader 210 compared with that of the cardreader 10 of the first embodiment while downsizing the size of the cardreader 210.

Note that the card reader 210 may also employ modifications of the cardreader 10 of the first embodiment. In addition, the press-button switchunit 250 may be attached to a left or right lateral side face of thecover 40.

C. Third Embodiment

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a card reader 310according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. The cardreader 310 of the third embodiment is different from the card reader 10of the first embodiment in the following: the main body 320 of the cardreader 310 being embedded in a wall; the shape of the cover 340; thesize of the loop antenna 326 in the main body 320; and the attachmentposition of the press-button switch unit 350.

Other components of the card reader 310 of the third embodiment, whichare almost identical to those of the card reader 10 of the firstembodiment, are assigned with the same reference numerals as those inFIG. 1B without further explanation.

As in FIG. 8, the main body 320 is embedded in a wall while the frontplate part is exposed from the wall. The cover 340, which is shaped of aflat plate, has a front face with a size greater than that of the frontplate part of the main body 320. The cover 340 is provided to concealthe front plate part of the main body 320 and to have the upper end 340a as being located at an upper side from the upper end of the main body320 by a predetermined length h. The press-button switch unit 350 isattached to a predetermined region on the front face 40 a of the cover340 corresponding to the predetermined length h. Note that thepredetermined region on the front face 40 a is within a side lobe SL ofthe loop antenna 326. The configuration and the attachment method of thepress-button switch unit 350 are the same as those of the firstembodiment.

The card reader 310 of the third embodiment facilitates the designchanges including the change of the attachment position of thepress-button switch unit 350 and adding newly the press-button switchunit, like the card reader 10 of the first embodiment, further providingbetter waterproof measure like the first embodiment. Furthermore, thecard reader 310 of the third embodiment provides the press-button switchunit 350 to be arranged at an attachment position that is on an outerside of the attachment position of the press-button switch unit 50 ofthe first embodiment. Note that the card reader 310 may also employmodifications of the card reader 10 of the first embodiment.

D. Fourth Embodiment

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a card reader 410according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. The cardreader 410 of the fourth embodiment is different from the card reader310 of the third embodiment in the size of the cover 440 and theattachment position of the press-button switch unit 450. Othercomponents of the card reader 410 of the fourth embodiment, which arealmost identical to those of the card reader 310 of the thirdembodiment, are assigned with the same reference numerals as those inFIG. 8 without further explanation.

The cover 440 has a main plane the size of which is a little greaterthan that of the front plate part of the main body 320. The cover 440 isattached to conceal a front face 320 a of the main body 320. Thepress-button switch unit 450 is attached to an attachment position on anouter front surface of a wall on an upper side from the cover 440. Notethat the attachment position is within a side lobe SL of the loopantenna 326. The configuration and the attachment method of thepress-button switch unit 450 are the same as those of the firstembodiment.

The card reader 410 of the fourth embodiment facilitates the designchanges including the change of the attachment position of thepress-button switch unit 450 and adding newly the press-button switchunit, like in the third embodiment, further providing better waterproofmeasure like the third embodiment. Furthermore, the card reader 410 ofthe fourth embodiment provides the press-button switch unit 450 to be onan outer side of a wall on the upper side from the cover 440. Note thatthe card reader 410 may also employ modifications of the card reader 10of the first embodiment.

E. Fifth Embodiment

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an internal configuration of atemperature switch unit 550 included in a card reader according to afifth embodiment of the present disclosure. The temperature switch unit550 in the fifth embodiment has a configuration corresponding to that ofthe press-button switch unit 50 in the first embodiment; the card readerof the fifth embodiment includes a main body and a cover identical tothose of the first embodiment, in addition to the temperature switchunit 550.

The temperature switch unit 550 is different from the press-buttonswitch unit 50 of the first embodiment in that the manipulation portion58 (see FIG. 1A) is replaced with a bimetal 558, as in FIG. 10. Thebimetal 558, which is arranged to be exposed from the front face of thetemperature switch unit 550, functions as a temperature detection part.The attachment position of the temperature switch unit 550 to the coveris the same as that of the press-button switch unit 50 in the firstembodiment. In addition, the temperature switch unit 550 includes an ICchip 52 and an antenna coil 54 identical to those of the press-buttonswitch unit 50 in the first embodiment, as indicated in FIG. 10. Theswitch body 556, which is incorporated in the middle of the antenna coil54, turns on or off the antenna coil 54 in accordance with the shapechange of the bimetal 558.

In the card reader of the fifth embodiment, the bimetal 558 deforms tobe in a bent state when a temperature around the temperature switch unit550 becomes a predetermined value or more, turning on the antenna coil54, whereas the bimetal 458 returns from the bent state when thetemperature becomes less than the predetermined value, turning off theantenna coil 54.

According to the card reader of the fifth embodiment, only attaching thetemperature switch unit 550 to the cover of the main body permits thecommunication between the RF tag 51 of the temperature switch unit 550and the main body of the card reader, allowing the temperature switchunit 550 to function as a switch to inform a fire report system of anoccurrence of fire. The card reader of the fifth embodiment canfacilitate design changes such as changing the attachment position ofthe temperature switch unit 550 and adding anew a press-button switchunit. The fifth embodiment, which substitutes the bimetal 558 for themanipulation portion 58 of the first embodiment, may alternativelysubstitute the bimetal 558 for the manipulation portions of the secondto fourth embodiments.

F. Modifications

The present disclosure, which is not limited to the first to fifthembodiments or modification of those embodiments, may cover variousaspects, e.g., the following modifications.

First Modification

The first to fourth embodiments, which provide a switch unit to includea manipulation portion manipulated by users, determines that apredetermined condition is satisfied when the manipulation portion ismanipulated. In addition, the fifth embodiment, which provides a switchunit includes a temperature detection part, determines that apredetermined condition is satisfied when a detection result of thetemperature detection part becomes a predetermined value or greater. Thefirst modification may include the following examples. A first example,which provides a switch unit to include a clock, may determine that apredetermined condition is satisfied when the clock indicates apredetermined time zone. This first example can easily change the designto permit an access using an IC card only for the predetermined timezone. A second example, which provides a switch unit to include atonometer that only touches a finger to measure, may permit an accessusing an IC card when the measured value is a predetermined value orless. This second example can easily change the design to permit anaccess using an IC card when a user has a low blood pressure. Thus thefirst modification, which provides a switch unit to include ameasurement instrument such as a sensor, may determine that apredetermined condition is satisfied when the instrument outputs apredetermined output.

Second Modification

The first and third embodiments arrange the press-button switch unit tobe within the side lobe SL of the loop antenna 26 over the front face 40a of the cover 40. The second embodiment arranges the press-buttonswitch unit to be within the side lobe SL of the loop antenna 26 overthe side face 40 b of the cover 40. The fourth embodiment arranges thepress-button switch unit to be within the side lobe SL of the loopantenna 26 over a wall where the card reader 410 is arranged. Theattachment position of the press-button switch unit, which need not belimited to the above, may be within a side lobe SL of the loop antennaover any portion.

Third Modification

The first to fifth embodiments each provide a switch unit to containintegrally an IC chip, an antenna coil, a switch body, and amanipulation portion (or bimetal). Alternatively, an antenna coil may beseparated from a main body portion that contains integrally an IC chip,a switch body, and a manipulation portion (or bimetal); the antenna coilmay be connected to the manipulation portion (or bimetal) with a cable.This configuration only need arrange the antenna coil of the switch unitto be within a side lobe SL of a loop antenna in the main body of thecard reader. The antenna coil may be attached to an area within a sidelobe SL of the loop antenna 26 over either the front face 40 a or sideface 40 b of the cover 40 or over a wall where the card reader 410 isarranged. This configuration can maintain the communication sensitivityof the switch unit, providing the flexibility in the attachment positionof the main body portion of the press-button switch unit.

Fourth Modification

The first to fourth embodiments provide the press-button switch unit 50,which designates or activate “security,” may alternatively inactivate orunlock a security-activated state. The press-button switch unit 50,which is not limited to “security,” may serve as switches for other usesor instructions, such as: instruction for turning on and off devices,such as room lighting; instruction for charging or discharging anelectronic money recorded in an IC card; and instruction for returningservice points accumulated or recorded in an IC card.

Fifth Modification

The first to fourth embodiments, which provide a single press-buttonswitch unit, may alternatively provide a plurality of press-buttonswitch units. Each of those press-button switch units may include an ICchip, an antenna coil, and a switch main body. Alternatively, only oneantenna coil and a plurality of combinations, each combination having asingle IC chip and a single switch main body, may be provided such thatthe combinations are electrically connected in parallel to the singleantenna coil. Each IC chip stores individually a unique identificationdata, thus permitting a determination as to which switch main body ismanipulated even though the single antenna coil is commonly used for thecombinations. In addition, when a plurality of press-button switch unitsare provided in a card reader, the order of manipulating individuallythese switch units may be determined so as to permit unlocking only whenthe determined order of manipulating accords with a predetermined order.

Sixth Modification

Each manipulation portion, which has a convex shape in the first tofourth embodiments, may have another shape such as a concave shapehaving a recess or a flat shape having no protrusion from periphery, oranother type such as a touch-sensitive panel. In addition, themanipulation portion may be a toggle switch. The manipulation portionmay thus employ any one from a variety of types of switches.

Seventh Modification

Each switch unit such as a press-button switch unit or bimetal switchunit, which is fixed to the housing, i.e., either the cover or the mainbody using double-stick tapes in the above embodiments, may bealternatively put in a pocket portion that is formed in the housing,facilitating detachment of the switch unit and design changes,facilitating the design change significantly. In addition, thepress-button switch unit or the bimetal switch unit may be embedded inthe cover.

Eighth Modification

The IC card, which serves as an ID card for identifying an individual ineach of the above embodiments, may alternatively serve as another typeof card, such as a credit card, an automated teller machine (ATM) card,a transportation card, a certification card. In addition, the cardreader, which is used for the access control system managing accesses ofoffices, may be also used for a variety of applications or uses.

Ninth Modification

The contactless IC card may be any one of at least first to fourth typesaccording to different communication ranges or distances from shorter tolonger: the first corresponding to a close-coupling contactless IC cardoperable in contact with or close to a card reader; the secondcorresponding to a proximity contactless IC card operable withinproximity of a card reader; the third corresponding to a vicinitycontactless IC card operable within vicinity of a card reader; and thefourth corresponding to a remote contactless IC card operable remotelyfrom a card reader. Further, the contactless IC card may be any othercard operable using wireless communication.

Tenth Modification

Although the switch unit includes the RF tag that is of a passive typeneeding none of internal battery, in each of the above embodiments, theswitch unit may include alternatively an RF tag that is of an active orsemi-active type that needs an internal battery.

Eleventh Modification

The ID card 70, may not be limited to have a card shape, may be replacedby a non-card-shaped handheld device or terminal that containsinternally the IC chip 72 and antenna coil 74 to communicate with theloop antenna 26 of the card reader 10. For instance, the IC chip 72 andantenna coil 74 may be incorporated into a smartphone so as to achieveall the functions of the ID card 70.

An aspect of the present disclosure described herein is set forth in thefollowing clauses.

(1) An aspect of the present disclosure provides a card reader to readinformation in an integrated circuit (IC) card as follows. The cardreader includes a housing, a first antenna, a control circuit, and aswitch unit. The first antenna is disposed inside of the housing tocommunicate with the IC card. The control circuit communicates with theIC card within a communication range of the first antenna and performsat least a process that acquires data from a memory in the IC card. Theswitch unit includes a radio frequency (RF) tag having a second antenna.The switch unit functions as a switch that performs a predeterminedfunction by causing the RF tag to communicate with the control circuitvia the second antenna and the first antenna when a predeterminedcondition is satisfied. Herein, of the switch unit, the second antennaat least is arranged within a side lobe of the first antenna.

(2) In the card reader of the present aspect, the first antenna may bearranged to face a plate part that is on a first face of the housing;and

of the switch unit, the second antenna at least may be arranged withinthe side lobe of the first antenna passing through the first face. Thisconfiguration allows the switch unit to be attached to the plate part onthe first face of the housing adjacent to the first antenna.

(3) In the card reader of the present aspect, the first antenna may bearranged to face a plate part that is on a first face of the housing;and of the switch unit, the second antenna at least may be arrangedwithin the side lobe of the first antenna passing through a second faceof the housing that is different from the first face. This configurationprovides the first face to be a reading area for IC cards, permittingthe switch unit to be arranged to the second face different from thefirst face and increasing the flexibility in the attachment position ofthe switch unit.

(4) In the card reader of the present aspect, of the switch unit, thesecond antenna at least may be arranged within the side lobe of thefirst antenna passing through a wall to which the housing is attached.This configuration allows the switch unit to be arranged to the wall towhich the card reader arranged, increasing the flexibility in theattachment position of the switch unit.

(5) In the card reader of the present aspect, the switch unit mayinclude a manipulation portion manipulated by users and be provided todetermine that the predetermined condition is satisfied when themanipulation portion is manipulated. This configuration can facilitatethe design changes against the manipulation portion to be manipulated byusers. The manipulation portion to be manipulated by users typicallyneed respond to a variety of requests relative to desirable interfacesdepending on purposes or installation positions of card readers.Facilitating the design changes can provide advantageous effectssignificantly.

(6) In the card reader of the present aspect, the second antenna of theswitch unit may be maintained in a dissonance state, for instance, at anoperating frequency of the first antenna, when the predeterminedcondition is not satisfied; and the second antenna may be moved to aresonance state, for instance, at the operating frequency of the firstantenna, by receiving an exertion such as electric waves orelectromagnetic induction from the first antenna when the predeterminedcondition is satisfied. This configuration maintains the second antennain a dissonance state when the predetermined condition is not satisfied,not interfering with the reading for IC cards wherever the secondantenna is arranged. The reliability of the communication to IC cards isthus maintained.

(7) In the card reader of the present aspect, the switch unit mayactivate the RF tag with the electric power generated by the secondantenna receiving signals sent from the first antenna. Thisconfiguration may eliminate the need of installing a power source insideof the switch unit, downsizing the switch unit.

(8) In the card reader of the present aspect, the housing may beprovided with a cover, to which the switch unit is attached. Thisconfiguration can perform a design change of a position of the switchunit by replacing the whole of the cover if needed, facilitating thedesign change significantly.

Furthermore, a variety of systems, such as an access control system anda security system may be achieved by including the card reader of thepresent aspect.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference topreferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that thedisclosure is not limited to the preferred embodiments andconstructions. The present disclosure is intended to cover variousmodification and equivalent arrangements. In addition, while the variouscombinations and configurations, which are preferred, other combinationsand configurations, including more, less or only a single element, arealso within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A card reader to read information in anintegrated circuit (IC) card, the card reader comprising: a housing; afirst antenna disposed inside of the housing; a control circuitcommunicating with the IC card via the first antenna, the controlcircuit performing at least a process that acquires data from a memoryin the IC card; and a switch including a radio frequency (RF) tag thatincludes a second antenna, the switch performing a predeterminedfunction by causing the RF tag to communicate with the control circuitvia the second antenna and the first antenna when a predeterminedcondition is satisfied, wherein: the first antenna is a loop antenna ina shape of a loop, the loop antenna having a loop area inside of theloop, an outer periphery of the loop area being defined as an outerperimeter of the loop antenna; the housing has outer faces including afront face that the loop area of the loop antenna faces; the front facecontains an antenna-projection area that is defined as a projection ofthe loop area of the first antenna in a direction orthogonal to the looparea; the RF tag and the second antenna are contained internally in theswitch; and the switch is externally fixed to a position on a differentarea that is separated from the antenna-projection area of the frontface, and offset at a position outside of the outer perimeter of theloop antenna.
 2. The card reader according to claim 1, wherein: theswitch includes a manipulation portion configured to receive a pressmanipulation by a user, the predetermined condition being satisfied whenthe press manipulation is received via the manipulation portion; and theswitch is a button switch into which the manipulation portion, the RFtag, and the second antenna are integrated.
 3. The card reader accordingto claim 1, wherein: the front face of the housing contains: (i) theantenna-projection area, and (ii) the different area that is separatefrom the antenna-projection area; and the switch is externally fixed tothe position on the different area contained in the front face.
 4. Thecard reader according to claim 1, wherein: the outer faces of thehousing include the front face and a different face that is differentfrom the front face; and the switch is externally fixed to the positionon the different area contained in the different face of the housing. 5.The card reader according to claim 1, wherein: the housing is installedto a wall; and the switch including the second antenna is externallyfixed to the position on the different area that is adjacent to thewall.
 6. The card reader according to claim 1, wherein: the secondantenna is maintained in a dissonance state when the predeterminedcondition is not satisfied; and the second antenna is moved to aresonance state when the predetermined condition is satisfied.
 7. Thecard reader according to claim 1, wherein: the housing includes a cover;and the switch is attached to the cover.